Departments
Home Economics
Teaching Staff
Mrs Sharon McKee (Head of Department)
Mrs Francis Neill
Mrs Violet Stockdale
Technical Support
Mrs Avril Morrison
Aims
- To help pupils explore their own health in a practical context while enhancing their potential to live a healthy lifestyle and make responsible choices about their diet and food.
- To allow pupils to be more aware of values and lifestyles that are different from their own and help them make informed decisions with regards to family relationships.
- To give pupils an awareness of themselves as consumers in a changing economy and help them to understand the importance of becoming a discerning consumer.
- To give pupils the opportunity to develop their skills to prepare them for independent living.
Key Stage 3
Home Economics at Key Stage 3 is part of Learning for Life and Work. In Years 8, 9 and 10 pupils get the opportunity to examine key concepts in relation to healthy eating, home and family life and independent living.
Each year is divided into a series of units which are designed to be enjoyable, challenging and relevant for our young people. A wide range of practical cookery is built into each unit of work so that pupils can develop a range of important skills such as working with others, thinking for themselves, cooking skills and using equipment.
Practical cookery is enjoyed greatly by all pupils in Key Stage 3 and is a wonderful opportunity for them to develop healthy attitudes to food whilst learning some life-long skills.
Key Stage 4
GCSE Home Economics (CCEA) (new specification from September 2009)
GCSE Home Economics is a very relevant and interesting subject which provides pupils with the opportunity to prepare them for the responsibilities, opportunities and experiences of adult life.
The new specification contains two main components, Diet and Health and Consumer Awareness.
Diet and Health
Within this section, pupils get the opportunity to demonstrate the knowledge, understanding and skills necessary for providing healthy diets for family members throughout life.
Consumer awareness
In this section pupils will get the opportunity to apply knowledge, understanding and skills as discerning and effective mangers of resources.
Advanced Level
GCE Level Home Economics (CCEA)
This course consists of four units and builds on the knowledge and skills learnt in GCSE Home Economics.
Year 13
| AS1 - Nutrition for optimal health | External assessment |
| AS 2 - Priority health issues | External assessment |
Year 14
| A2 1- Consumer issues | External assessment |
| AS 2 - Priority health issues | External assessment |
GCE Health and Social Care (OCR)
The aim of this course is to encourage students to develop an interest in health, early-years care and education, social care and issues affecting the care sector. This course allows students to develop skills that will enable them to make an effective contribution to the care sector, including skills of research, evaluation and problem-solving in a work related context. This course prepares the students for further study and training in the area of health and social care.
Year 13
| Unit 1: Promoting quality care | External examination |
| Unit 2: Communication in care settings | Internal portfolio |
| Unit 3: Promoting good health | Internal portfolio |
Year 14
| Unit 10: Care practice and provision | Internal portfolio |
| Unit 14: Mental health* | Internal portfolio |
| Unit 15 : Social trends* | External examination |
* These units are subject to change
Facilities & Resources
The Home Economics department has recently undergone a facelift. There are two Home Economics classrooms and a food preparation room. One classroom has an interactive white board and each classroom has a number of computers.
Lessons are prepared by using a combination of pupil booklets, text books and internet resources to facilitate effective management. These resources are up-dated regularly.
It is also departmental policy to use as many resources as possible which are available from outside agencies such as the Health Promotion Unit and the Foods Standards Agency. Research articles, newspapers and other current data are made available where appropriate.
Achievements and Successes
Pupils within the Home Economics department regularly enter competitions run by Sainsbury’s and the NI Dairy council. We also take part in the Future Chef competition and in the past one pupil made it to the final heat in London.
